Regulated Cell Death

Regulated Cell Death (RCD) is a universal process in living organisms that is essential for tissue homeostasis or to restore biological equilibrium following stress. RCD functions to eliminate useless or potentially dangerous cells. It may be triggered by the release or exposure of molecules (known as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) or alarmins) from damaged or dying cells, which alert the organism to a potential threat. Multiple cell death pathways have been defined according to morphological, biochemical and functional aspects.